My Real Entry For Today

The weekend was quite eventful for Drake and I; I was lucky enough to get a little time off from everywhere in order to make it home for my cousin Holden's third birthday party and Drake switched one of his RA duties in order to go with me. We left right away Friday when I was done at Belmont and got to Minnesota around 10 pm that evening. Wendall went with because I didn't want to leave him for four days with the chance of him not being fed. Unfortunately Drake wears a size 13 shoe and thus has rather large feet. Luckily, Wendall was only knocked over once, though for the rest of the trip he rode on my lap even though I was driving. I could tell Mom really liked him, and it helps that he is extra polite and uses 'Ma'am' and 'Sir' when addressing those older than him. Plus, they could gang up on me and tease me so that helped them bond. Early the next morning we all got up to go to the Renaissance Festival. This is something we have done every year for as long as I can remember. I have missed a few here and there because of school and not being able to make it back to Minnesota, but this time I was able to and it was a lot of fun. Even Drake had fun, although I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that he actually got to eat a ginormous turkey leg - something he wants to be able to do on Halloween when he dresses up as a Viking. I have a picture and will post it at some point, but can't right now because I am at work. I also ran into my most favorite English teacher from high school, or rather, he scared me when he walked up behind me and said 'Go Packers' really loud in my ear. We chatted for a while and I was glad I got to see him because I knew I wouldn't have another chance while I was at home, since it was the weekend and of course no one was at the school. (On a side note about my high school: the wonderful gym floor that was installed right before my senior year was destroyed under a foot of water this summer. They are adding another wing to our school and someone didn't do their job and a water pump was not shut off, so the floor was under a foot of water. It will be done in time for basketball, but so far volleyball has played all away games because they have to fix the floor. That really made me sad when I think about the final basketball season when I was manager, and I think about all the games played on that floor and how, for our very last home game, all the seniors kissed the shamrock with 'Irish' emblazoned on it at center court. It really sucks, so thanks to the guy who didn't turn off the water, we appreciate your lack of hard work, good job). That evening my grandpa grilled steaks because I love steak, and my grandma made her amazing Oreo Cookie Dessert. I love it, it is the best dessert in the world. The entire family was at Grandma and Grandpa's except for my uncle Todd, his wife Kris, and their son Holden, but that's to be expected. I was glad I got to see Nicholas a lot that day, he is growing so fast - he turned one in April and is just running around and getting into all sorts of hilarious trouble. I love it. Sunday was just as jam-packed with stuff to do for Drake and I. We went to the Vikings/Saints game and the Vikes won, thank goodness, otherwise we'd be 0-3 and then I don't know what I or my mother would do. We left a little bit early when it was clear the Vikes were going to win, and had a little time to kill before heading to Holden's birthday, so we drove to Rosemount so I could show him where I was really from. It's not that I mind Waseca or anything, it's just that I am not from there, it is where Mom lives now. I have no ties to the high school, the sports teams, or anything, it is not where memories of my childhood exist, it is not the place that made me who I am. We drove around for a while and I pointed out places of importance, then we went on to Holden's party and hung out there with the tons of people who were invited to the shin-dig. I was glad Drake was able to meet everyone, and not just my mom, because I was able to meet a large number of his relatives already and it gives him a better understanding of me, I think. I know at one point we were talking and I was saying one thing and he was saying something else. He turns to my mom and asks, "How do you win?" and she and my grandma both said immediately, "You don't" which made me laugh, because it is true. He just shook his head, but gave me a kiss so I guess he is willing to deal with it for the rest of his life :). Monday morning came far too quickly for me, we met my grandparents in Owatonna for breakfast and it turned out to be more of a brunch, then headed back to Lincoln. It was a great trip and I am psyched because now hopefully over Fall Break I will get to go home with Drake and meet some more of his family and some of his friends, though that part kind of worries me a little bit. Family is easy to handle, friends are the difficult part. We'll just have to see what happens.